Tables are typically employed by computer software to present a user with information in a format that is easily visible and organized. Tables consist of one or more cells, usually organized in rows and columns, with each cell capable of retaining and displaying information. When a table has many columns, the information capable of being displayed by a cell in the cell display may be restricted by the width of the cell. In such cases, the information displayed may be truncated. This truncation is often indicated by a set of ellipsis, commonly taking the form of three periods in a row (“ . . . ”) inserted at the end of the information that the cell shows. In some computer software, when a pointer hovers over a truncated cell display a tooltip opens. Such a tooltip usually shows all of the contents of the cell if the contents can fit in the tooltip (i.e. if the tooltip is large enough to show all of the contents).
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary conventional console 1. The console 1 contains a table 2 in which various information is shown for systems on a network. For the PURPLERAIN system, whose information is provided in a row 3, one can observe a cell 4 that contains Operating System information for this system. The Operating System information for PURPLERAIN is too long to be fully shown in the cell display and is thus truncated. This is indicated by the ellipsis at the end of the truncated information that is shown. However, a pointer 5 is hovering over the truncated cell display and a tooltip 6 has opened. The tooltip 6 displays the full Operating System information that the cell contains. In some conventional systems, the tooltip disappears when a user moves the pointer such that it no longer hovers over the cell display.